The Brooklyn Nets (29-18) fell 137-133 to the Philadelphia 76ers on the road in the first meeting between Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid since Simmons was traded for James Harden a move that parties from both sides have since shared strong opinions on.
They got another valiant effort from Kyrie Irving who has stepped up in Kevin Durant’s absence.
With all that hangs in the balance for Irving, his stance on his expiring contract has been made public by way of his agent, and stepmother, Shetellia Irving.
“We have had no significant conversations to date,” Irving told Bleacher Report NBA insider Chris Haynes of her inquiries to the Nets regarding Irving’s contract status. “The desire is to make Brooklyn home, with the right type of extension, which means the ball is in the Nets’ court to communicate now if their desire is the same.”
Kyrie Irving’s Market Could Be Slim
“There is going to be a very small list of teams with competing offers for Kyrie this summer and no one is going to give him anything more than two years,” league sources tell Heavy Sports NBA insider Deveney. “That was what the whole problem was with Kyrie and the Nets last summer, it was the number of years he was going to get. He wanted a full five, they wanted two or three. Now, he is going to have to take what they give him.”
What they offer him (if anything at all) could be dependent on what Durant decides which could further depend on how the regular season shakes out.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that an executive floated the Los Angeles Lakers – and a reunion with LeBron James – as an option again this summer after much fanfare but little movement on a potential deal amid Irving’s standoff with Nets management.
But it still is not as easy as it might seem.
“A sign-and-trade for Kyrie this summer would be tough given the length needed and assets to make it happen from another team,” the executive said according to Scotto. “I think there’s an incentive for an extension on a one-plus-one or two-year deal. If I’m Brooklyn, I’m not going past two years.”
The source added that they were unsure Irving would accept such an offer.
It seems the Nets – who also have questions in the front office – still have a lot to sort out despite turning their season around.
Kyrie Irving’s Drama ‘Probably Helped’ Nets
Irving’s strong play over the last two-plus months has driven speculation about what his future may hold. He has averaged 26.8 points on 61.7% true shooting since returning from an eight-game suspension.
And, over the last six games without Durant, Irving has upped it to 31 points per game on 63.3% true shooting.
The seven-time All-Star spoke of taking it upon himself to keep things afloat without Durant.
KAI MAGIC 🤯
Still, he is only two-plus months removed from controversy and just seven months from a standoff over his contract.
“All the drama with Kyrie probably helped the Nets in the end,” the source tells Deveney. “I’m sure they would have rather not gone through all that but it gave Brooklyn a really strong bargaining position.”
Irving said that he missed out on $100 million after turning down an offer from the Nets. Then came the suspension for sharing an anti-semitic video which Irving has apologized for and, when factored into his history, appears to have teams leery of committing to him, at least for anything long-term.
It could bring him right back to where the Nets wanted in the first place.
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Rival Exec Gets Brutally Honest About Nets’ Kyrie Irving Amid Extension Push